Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A86726
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An Humble advise to the right honorable the lord mayor, the recorder, and the rest of the justices of the honorable bench to the goodmen of the jury, aud [sic] at the Sessions House in the Old-Bayley, London, in behalf of Mr. John Bidle, prisoner in Newgate.
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1654
(1654)
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Wing H3396; ESTC R42339
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15,114
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16
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affirm or deny as they see cause without being termed Blasphemers for so doing yea rather pity their mistakings nay the Jews that speak such opprobrious language of Christ as is not fit to be repeated denying not only his Godhead but his most holy and heavenly Conception yet are they not imprisoned nor Indicted for Blasphemers nor molested but suffered to live quietly amongst us for which way else shall they ever be converted to the Faith of Christ Why then is it so hainous a thing in M. Bidle to say he doth deny this or that opinion of Christ to that end it may be proved by Scripture Why doth not some zealous person shew him wherein he is mistaken without calling him a Blasphemer Will it suffize to quit a man from the guilt of such an ignominious appellation to believe every article of the Apostles Creed if it will it is then most certain this good man Mr. Bidle believes all and every Article thereof in every respect as they are there expressed If this will not suffize but that Athenasius his Creed must in every circumstance be believed also or those that cannot understand it and consequently cannot believe it in all points shall be deemed Blasphemers by most assuredly it would be thought too harsh a judgement for do you but observe with what satisfaction with how much alacrity the conscience closeth with the former saying I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended into hell the third day he arose again from the dead and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the body and the life ever lasting There being no Particle of this Belief as Mr. Bidle useth to affirm but that even in speaking it presents a plain place of Scripture to the minde for proofe thereof Whereas in reciting that of Athenasius which was the ground of that Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in making it Blasphemy to affirm so and so concerning Christ and the Holy Spirit what infinite doubts and scruples do arise as where it is said For there is one person of the Father another of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost but the Godhead of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all one the glory equal the Majesty coeternal such as the Father such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost the Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate the Father incomprehensible the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible the Father eternal the Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eternal and yet they are not three eternals but one eternal as also there are not three incomprehensibles nor three uncreated but one uncreated and one incomprehensible so likew se the Father is almighty the Son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty and yet there are not three almighties but one almighty c. And in this Trinity none is before nor after another none is greater or lesser then another but the whole three persons be coeternal together and coequal c. It is true most men of years living in this Nation have through breeding and custome been formerly used to recite this Creed as what they did believe but how few there were that did truly understand it that is that did truly believe what they said and seemed to believe you can now very easily judg nay how glad would al ingenuous Christians be that these difficulties might without danger be clearly discussed by strength of Scripture that so men might no longer have things run in their mind as believed by them which in deed and in truth they do not understand nor are able to render a reason of the hope that is in them touching many of the particulars which is no better then hypocrisie and gross superstition for though men may hide their hearts from men yet from themselves and from God they cannot hide them Now because Mr Bidle hath laboured in this work to enquire how these obscure difficult expressions in this Creed are proved in Scripture which he taketh for the foundation of his faith and because he hath not been contented to take up other opinions concerning God according to the current of Interpreters of our times but still ground himself upon the Scripture for this cause only is he now a prisoner and for no other for this cause and none other doth his Accusers the Informers deem him unworthy to live But it is hoped with you he will find a much more charitable and Christian esteem for what at worst can be alledged against him or what can warrant the taking away of his life For admit the words or Books should be fully proved against him and that you should think such Accusers and Witnesses worthy of belief when not the glory of God or of Christ but their own gain hath set them on Admit that mens lives may be taken away by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons out of time of Parliament which will not be granted England being to be ruled by Acts not Ordinances so as therein also the foundation fails for he is tried upon no other but an Ordinance Again suppose the Ordinance Law there is nothing of obstinacy expressed in the Indictment against Mr. Bidle without which he doth not offend against it but were the Ordinance in force it directs the prisoner to be Indicted the next Goal delivery but M. Bidle was not Indicted till the second Goal delivery after complaint and imprisonment wherefore the Ordinance is not pursued but the time prefixed elapsed Yet further admit there were an Act and in force yet that a Parliament can be trusted in matters of Religion and Conscience the Scripture never warranted men cannot trust because they must obey not what Parliaments establish but what the Scripture saith to their particular Consciences so as if Parliaments understand the Scriptures one way and you another whether are you to yeeld to their sense or your own whether are you to believe and worship as they direct or as you judg your selves directed by the Word of God so that the making of Laws by Parliaments in matters of Religion Faith and Gods Worship which God never did and men cannot trust them withal so that although this Ordinance were an Act and were not annihilated by the instrument of Government as indeed it is in Mr. Bidles case you could not with innocent consciences find him guilty upon it If Mr. Bidle be not protected by the instrument none are for you will find it evidently intended by the 36. 37. and 38. Articles which say thus 36 That
such or such Books but in pronouncing him guilty upon either of the Indictments you pronounce him a Felon and deservedly to die so that unless in every one of your consciences he appears worthy to die as a Felon you are in conscience bound to pronounce him not guilty otherwise you may be his destroyers before you are aware to your perpetual grief and anxiety of spirit for so it befel the Jury that were the Tryers of M. Vdall a worthy Minister of Gods Word in Queen Elizabeths days he was Indicted for High Treason in making and publishing a certain Book against the Government of the Bishops and though there was no direct but a scambling shadow of a proof and though the Books duly considered contained no colour of Treason or other crime no more then M. Bidles of Felony but such as the times since have proved as true as Truth its self yet the Jury not thinking in pronouncing him guilty they had pronounced him guilty of Treason and to die as a Traytor supposing they had only declared him guilty of making the Book hereupon they brought him in guilty but when after the Judges sentence of death against him which they never in the least intended that they found what they had done they were confounded in themselves and would have done any thing in the world to have revoked their Verdict when alas it was too late and therefore you are to be exceeding careful in this main particular never to pronounce him guilty unless your consciences are first satisfied he ought not to live but to die as a Felon which is altogether impossible if you shall seriously and deliberately weigh all circumstances touching the man his opinions For first as to the man he is so free from being questioned for any the least blemish in his life and conversation that the Informers themselves have been heard to admire his strickt exemplar life full of modesty sobriety and forbearance no ways contentious touching the great things of the world but altogether taken up with the things of God revealed in the holy Scriptures wherein his study diligence and attainments have been so great that his knowledg therein is of as ready use as a Concordance no part thereof being named but he presently cites the Book Chapter and ver especially throughout the Books of the New Testament where all the Epistles he can say by heart out of the Greek Tongue and withal can read the Greek in English and the English in Greek so readily as a man can do the meer English so carefully hath he been rightly to understand them As to the Justice and integrity of his heart his wayes have manifested that he would not dissemble play the Hypocrite or deal fraudulently with any man to save his life such is he certainly as is known to very many persons of worth and credit in London so as he is far from being such a Monster as many have believed him to be through the uncomely and unchristian-like clamours of his Accusers For his opinions you have heard at large and frequently with what he is charged not to believe be pleased to be so just to your selves and him as to give ear and seriously to note what he professeth and is known to believe there being a cloud of Witnesses ready to testifie that he makes it his glory to confess with his mouth the Lord Jesus to be his Lord and his God according to the Scripture John 20.28 to be his Saviour Acts 5.31 and by him doth believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory 1 Pet. 1.21 Having set him at his right hand Angels Authorities and Powers being made subject to him and that he is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 3.30 That he is the only begotten Son of God and to be honored as the Father Iohn 5.23 that it is he that is ordained of God to be Judg of quick and dead Acts 10.41 that he is the Author of eternal life to all those that obey him Heb. 5.9 that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 that his Blood is the Blood of the new Covenant that is shed for many for the remission of sins Mat. 26.18 and that he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 How then or upon what ground can any man justly term him a Blasphemer he conceiveth to be according to the Scriptures if further then this he understands not and for want of understanding perceiveth not the Scriptures do maintain Christ the Son to be coequal coeternal and coessential with God the Father and thereupon should deny Christ to be the most high God shall he be put to death for it Surely none can suppose a man of so much learning discretion and piety can do this maliciously with full purpose to dishonor the Lord Christ whom he so much trusteth in and honoreth as is before expressed nay can it be supposed but that he who attributes so much honor to him as those Scriptures forecited manifest would with all his soul render him all whatsoever by any other Scriptures he understood to be his due nay the least measure of charity may very readily admit that if such a pious man as he is deny him any part of honor that he doth it because he conceives that granting of it would be to his dishonor and that he did believe he would be much displeased to have it attributed unto him shall this fear and wariness in him find admit that it were evidently an Error in his judgment no lower title then Blasphemy and for this will nothing satisfie the Informers but his life What thoughts have these men of the Lord Christ that came not to destroy but to save mens lives that will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax that called not the Sadduces Blasphemers nor Heretikes nor denounced judgment upon them either of imprisonment or death no though they came to tempt him though they denied the Resurrection and said there was neither Angel nor Spirit yea so far was our most merciful Lord Christ from so harsh a spirit that he saith John 12.47 48. If any man hear my words and believe not them I judg him not the word that I have spoken the same shall judg him at the last day and rebuketh those Luke 9. 54. who through a rash unadvised zeal much like what at best appeareth in these Prosecutors that would have called for fire from heaven to have consumed the Samaritans saying Yo know not what spirit you are of a sentence worthy to be written in letters of Gold in every place of Judicature in the world but especially in the hearts of all men trusted as you are with the lives of men Turks and Infidels are allowed in order to their conversion to ask any questions concerning God Christ or the Holy Spirit to